Computer networks final project advice???

ADAM89

ADAM89

ADAM89

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Hi i am a final yr student studying a degree on computer engineering. I need to complete a final yr project for my course and I was after some advice on what to do. The background area I have been allocated is networking but im just abit stuck on what I could do....
If anyone has any ideas pls feel free to help advice towards this cause.

kinds regards

Adam
 
I posted this in your other thread so rather than my effort never being seen....

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I suggest a full mesh network (no single point of failure) involving at least 5 routers, 10 subnets and using routing protocols such as OSPF and BGP. Ensuring you emulate transatlantic links (I expect talking about TCP windowing will earn you bonus marks).

Lab it up using Cisco Packet Tracer (your college/uni will have this). Remember to simulate many many failures, how things automatically reroute etc... where are the major world network hubs? eg. LINX

Final thing think up a reason for the network to exist. A nice stable torrenting network (for WoW patch distribution... of course).
 
ADAM89 said:
would this idea actually work???
Click to expand...

Some of us run larger networks for a living :p

Probably a couple days router and switch configuration in there (dont forget you have to emulate actual machines at each end, at least 2 for each subnet = 20 machines).

In packet tracer it will look very impressive, lots of winking lights. Just put a suitable story to it.... demonstrate it working. "Look i can ping from here to here while pulling the power on these 3 routers!"... etc...

If this doesn't make sense to you, or if you think "a network" is a PC + switch + DSL router I suggest you look at something else.

If you plan on becoming a network engineer or similar this would also look good on your CV and for discussion in interviews.
 
ADAM89 said:
to be honest now youve explained it, it seem quite interesting and something which I could achieve.
Click to expand...

Make sure you fully grok "full mesh". It means two layer2 switches for each subnet, dual homed "servers/PCs"...

For feces and giggles if you have time slap in a office network with workstations, printers, VOIP telephones and faxes....

Packet Tracer is quite flexible for this kinda stuff.
 
Shouldn't a final uni project be something more than that though, while workplace useful and real world practical it's not exactly taxing or particularly time consuming - shouldn't you be researching something and doing something vaguely new? (I don't know, despite my network architect incarnation my degree is in Economics so I don't know what's expected of computer science...)

Just seems a little easy that a final year project could be something that I could knock up in a morning and frequently do in the lab...
 
As I suggested in my last post before the thread got deleted, I'd do some kind of project relating to a fictional company - like a case study if you will.

You could make up a fictional ISP and write a project or case study that shows how they move away from IPv4 to IPv6, you could probably write it in a way that'd allow you to avoid all the low level stuff and mainly focus on design and higher level technicalities.

Or you could make up a fictional company that performs a project to provide a city-wide wireless network, again you could get away with basic design and focus on solving specific needs and problems by providing a solution - you wouldn't need to go down into hardcore low level details although you'd probably do well to learn a bit about design.


There's probably an endless amount of stuff you could work on, google around and look for examples.
 
V-Spec said:
As I suggested in my last post before the thread got deleted, I'd do some kind of project relating to a fictional company - like a case study if you will.

You could make up a fictional ISP and write a project or case study that shows how they move away from IPv4 to IPv6, you could probably write it in a way that'd allow you to avoid all the low level stuff and mainly focus on design and higher level technicalities.

Or you could make up a fictional company that performs a project to provide a city-wide wireless network, again you could get away with basic design and focus on solving specific needs and problems by providing a solution - you wouldn't need to go down into hardcore low level details although you'd probably do well to learn a bit about design.


There's probably an endless amount of stuff you could work on, google around and look for examples.
Click to expand...

Thing is IPV4 to IPV6 is a afternoons work. Also it is just a buzzword at the moment and will be relegated to history in the same way the "millennium bug" is now. Ok its a problem but it won't make planes fall out the sky when IPV4 runs out.
 
bigredshark said:
Shouldn't a final uni project be something more than that though, while workplace useful and real world practical it's not exactly taxing or particularly time consuming - shouldn't you be researching something and doing something vaguely new? (I don't know, despite my network architect incarnation my degree is in Economics so I don't know what's expected of computer science...)

Just seems a little easy that a final year project could be something that I could knock up in a morning and frequently do in the lab...
Click to expand...

Thats the point, people who do this daily would find it easy. Goes for anyone. Ideally a final year project could be something awesome and new. But if someone asks for "networks final project advice" they clearly are not at the level of writing their own layer3 protocol or rewriting the linux kernel from scratch.

So the next best option is something practical and real world useful, for CV, interviews and job prospects. I guarantee you that when finding a job having the above project demonstrably achieved will give you a leg up over someone who has figured out the differences between IPV4 and IPV6 and simply added a IPV6 address to a router/server.

Also I think you'd find it hard pushed to get it done in an afternoon simply due to the sheer amount of config you'd have to write (nothing to copy'n'paste from afterall).

The OP has to research BGP and OSPF. Prove them working during failure scenarios. Find real world case studies and best practices for designing his network.... there is a lot of stuff there. I also suggested VOIP specifically for the QOS setup that would be needed. Multiple subnets to ensure we have many VLANs... I am assuming all this is shiny new to the OP and depending on pre-existing levels of knowledge there is going to be week+ research just on these different protocols... I mean does the OP know the OSI model? (that everyone ignores :p)
 
Like in the other thread...

I suggest you write a new protocol that allows you to punch other users in the face via the internet. :p

FPoIP (FacePunch over IP) ;)
 
bigredshark said:
Shouldn't a final uni project be something more than that though, while workplace useful and real world practical it's not exactly taxing or particularly time consuming - shouldn't you be researching something and doing something vaguely new? (I don't know, despite my network architect incarnation my degree is in Economics so I don't know what's expected of computer science...)

Just seems a little easy that a final year project could be something that I could knock up in a morning and frequently do in the lab...
Click to expand...

OP asked for info on a forum, he has decades of experience availble to do his project for him... without that experience it it a complex and taxing task... the first few replies could have taken weeks of research to collate all he has to do now is google "full mesh", "dual homed" and get some info on layer 2 stuff (and the other terms used) and he has project!
 
JBod said:
Thing is IPV4 to IPV6 is a afternoons work. Also it is just a buzzword at the moment and will be relegated to history in the same way the "millennium bug" is now. Ok its a problem but it won't make planes fall out the sky when IPV4 runs out.
Click to expand...

I wasn't suggesting he writes a brief configuration document on 6to4 tunnels, 6VPE, OSPFv3, etc etc, it was more a suggestion for a 'higher level' project that could help describe and provide a solution to the problem of address space, I work in engineering/architecture for a very big ISP and we've been looking into this stuff for years, you could write an awesome case study if you wanted.
 
V-Spec said:
I wasn't suggesting he writes a brief configuration document on 6to4 tunnels, 6VPE, OSPFv3, etc etc, it was more a suggestion for a 'higher level' project that could help describe and provide a solution to the problem of address space, I work in engineering/architecture for a very big ISP and we've been looking into this stuff for years, you could write an awesome case study if you wanted.
Click to expand...

There needs to be a highly technical practical side though.
 
JBod said:
Thats the point, people who do this daily would find it easy. Goes for anyone. Ideally a final year project could be something awesome and new. But if someone asks for "networks final project advice" they clearly are not at the level of writing their own layer3 protocol or rewriting the linux kernel from scratch.

So the next best option is something practical and real world useful, for CV, interviews and job prospects. I guarantee you that when finding a job having the above project demonstrably achieved will give you a leg up over someone who has figured out the differences between IPV4 and IPV6 and simply added a IPV6 address to a router/server.
Click to expand...

Well like I say I didn't do a degree in this area so I don't know but when I was doing my final year stuff it wasn't just things you'd do every day in a related job, it was an academic research exercise that was necessarily slightly abstract from the real world.

If it's not an academic exercise with genuine research (that is rather than researching how-to do something set, actually researching a question and drawing conclusions based on evidence) then what's the point in a degree rather than a self taught CCNP? I'm not being nasty, I'm seriously asking.

You could look at the scalability and selection of routing protocols in the modern internet, a valid question considering what is happening to the IPv4 routing table as it fragments due to lack of available space and modern routers are more powerful than they were when OSPF vs ISIS vs EIGRP was last seriously considered. That's a research project, there's no authoritative source and you'll need to draw your own conclusions then support them with evidence.

You can find a template for full mesh networks in a dozen places...
 
Why have you been 'given' networking as an area?
I did a degree in computer networking and was told anything computer related is fine.
I did IDS stuff, a mate made his own unit on Rome:total war, did you have a placement year? you could ask them if they have any projects?
 
Hi again due to limited resources at university i am stuggling to find a practical idea, in two weeks time i will b starting this project. Pls could you guys provide some more ideas which would help me, Would b much appreciated.

Warm regards

Adam
 
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